From Hindiक़ुली(qulī) / Urduقلی‏(qulī, “hired laborer, slave”), from Turkishköle. Other forms occur in Bengalikuli and Tamilkuli, "daily hire." The Mandarin word 苦力(kǔlì), was originally a transcription of the Hindi, and literally means "bitterly hard (use of) strength".